Issue - meetings

Background:

This report detailed the revenue budget forecasts as at the end of September 2015. Table 1 within the report contained a summary of the forecast position, which reflected the individual directorate monitoring summaries attached at Appendices 1 – 4 to the report.

It was noted that after agreed management action, the forecast overspend for 2015/2016 was estimated at £5.9m. This represented a £1.2m adverse movement relative to the position reported to Cabinet on 25 August 2015 and could be explained by increasing pressures within the Children and Adults directorate, primarily in relation to the number of ‘Looked After Children’. 

The report explained the pressures being faced and the corrective management action proposed by directorate management teams. It was noted that the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer had instructed officers to stop incurring all non-essential spend, including the freezing of all vacant posts, where these were not essential in fulfilling direct statutory responsibilities or would not result in a loss of external income.

Reasons:

Cabinet has the responsibility to ensure effective budgetary control to contain expenditure within the approved limits set by Council.